Lead The People is your guide to unlocking your true potential as an authentic leader. Hosted by Dr. Matt Poepsel—The Godfather of Talent Optimization—this podcast dives deep into the art and science of what it takes to lead at the next level. With insightful conversations and practical strategies, each episode equips executives, strategic HR pros, and aspiring leaders with the tools it takes to boost performance, inspire teams, and drive meaningful impact. Whether exploring the latest workp ...
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Matt Poepsel Podcasts
“Leadership is a People Business.” That's the philosophy of this leadership podcast from Jon Rennie. It's real-world, actionable advice from Jon as well as his expert guests. As a former Cold War Submarine Officer who spent 22 years leading businesses in Corporate America before starting his own manufacturing business, he knows that leadership matters!
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Creation is one of the most powerful forces in the universe for your life and career. In this podcast hosted by John Saunders (New Degree Press Author: The Optimizer) we feature interviews with authors from our community as well as industry experts, who share practical advice you can use to build your community, improve your writing and sell more books through hybrid publishing. The NDP Creator Community Podcast brings you insights and inspiration for first-time authors and creators.
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#138: 10 Tools of the Leadership Trade - Part 2 with Matt Poepsel
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24:06After years of hosting this podcast and interviewing incredible leaders, I've identified the tools that solve the most common manager challenges: lack of time, uncertainty about doing things right, and feeling constantly behind. #6: BetterUp - Develop People Proactively A scalable coaching platform that helps managers develop both themselves and th…
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#0397 – Being Valuable Matters More Than Chasing Titles with Kash Rocheleau
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40:08Being Valuable Matters More Than Chasing Titles with Kash Rocheleau In this episode of Deep Leadership, I’m joined by Kash Rocheleau, CEO of Icon Foods. Kash’s journey is remarkable—starting in accounting just six years ago and rising to the top leadership role of the company. She shares powerful lessons on: Why focusing on being valuable matters m…
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#141: The Future of Work Isn’t Perks — It’s Purpose with Jacob Morgan
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33:54In this episode, futurist, bestselling author, and keynote speaker Jacob Morgan joins the show to challenge today’s assumptions about employee experience. Drawing from his new book, “The 8 Laws of Employee Experience”, Jacob argues that work has drifted into entitlement culture, where accountability is low, standards are blurred, and perks have rep…
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#0396 – The 5 Promises Every Leader Must Keep with Dr. Roger Gerard
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36:02What if the key to engagement and loyalty comes down to just five promises? In this episode of Deep Leadership, Dr. Roger Gerard explains how leaders can: Prevent burnout by treating people as professionals, not commodities Build authentic trust that fuels performance Avoid the “cynics, apathetics, and naysayers” trap Keep teams motivated with five…
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#140: Manage Your Time Like a Boss with Andrew Hartman
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37:37In this episode, Andrew Hartman, founder of Time Boss, joins the show to challenge the way leaders think about time. Drawing from his own burnout and breakthrough, Andrew reveals how high-achieving professionals can reclaim control of their calendar, emotional margin, and ultimately their impact not by doing more but by leading themselves better. H…
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#0395 – Cultivating Conditions for Employee Growth with Dr. Britt Yamamoto
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43:13In this episode of Deep Leadership, I talk with Dr. Britt Yamamoto — educator, entrepreneur, and author of The Soil of Leadership and The Hyaksho Way. Britt introduces the idea of soil-based leadership, a powerful metaphor drawn from farming that shifts focus from short-term results to cultivating healthy conditions for long-term employee growth. W…
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#139: Fulfillment at Work Isn’t a Perk — It’s Your Responsibility with Matt Ley
33:50
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33:50In this episode, Matt Ley, Co-Founder of IPN Advisors and author of Manage Your Gaps, joins the show to explore how fulfillment, energy, and effective management intersect to drive purpose and performance. He shares how his concept of Fulfillment ROI helps leaders and teams track the energy they invest and the value they receive, revealing simple s…
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#0394 – Creating Workplaces People Actually Love with Matt Tenney
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42:06What if your workplace was a place people actually wanted to be? In this episode, I’m joined by Matt Tenney, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of Inspire Greatness: How to Motivate Employees with a Simple, Repeatable, Scalable Process. Matt’s TED Talk has been viewed over a million times, and he has helped leaders at organizations such as Salesforc…
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#0393 – Inspiring Leadership for Today’s Changing Workplace with Dr. Matt Poepsel
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34:52In this episode of Deep Leadership, we’re discussing Inspiring Leadership for Today’s Changing Workplace. I sit down with Dr. Matt Poepsel, Marine Corps veteran, author of Expand the Circle: Enlightened Leadership for Our New World of Work, and leadership expert. We talk about: The lessons the military teaches about balancing mission and people Why…
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#137: 10 Tools of the Leadership Trade - Part 1 with Matt Poepsel
24:17
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24:17After years of hosting this podcast and interviewing incredible leaders, I've identified the tools that solve the most common manager challenges: lack of time, uncertainty about doing things right, and feeling constantly behind. Todoist - Master Your Time and Tasks A comprehensive task management system that transforms chaos into controlled product…
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#0392 – Deep Thinking: The Secret to Better Leadership with Scott Burgmeyer
38:32
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38:32Are you leading on autopilot? In this episode of Deep Leadership, Scott Burgmeyer joins me to explain why so many leaders fall into the trap of shallow thinking — and how to break free. We discuss: Why autopilot decision-making holds leaders back The hidden personas that drive shallow thinking A simple model to help you reflect, think deeper, and l…
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#136: Talent Optimization Isn’t HR’s Job—It’s Yours with Mike Zani
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33:07In this episode, Mike Zani, CEO of The Predictive Index and author of The Science of Dream Teams, joins the show to break down how behavioral science can transform hiring, culture, and leadership. From his Olympic sailing background to leading a talent optimization platform used by over 10,000 companies, Mike shares practical insights on what makes…
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#0391 – Unlocking Authentic Leadership with Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau
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37:01Today, I’m joined by Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau, and we’re discussing the subject of Unlocking Authentic Leadership. Sylvia is a senior executive coach with 30 years of experience, who helps C-Suite leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers thrive in today’s complex and fast-moving world. She is the founder of the SMART Power method, a groundbreakin…
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135: The Real Reason Employees Stay with Matt Rieck
31:49
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31:49In this episode, Matt Rieck, Chief Human Resources Officer at End Zone Insurance and author of The Employee Retention Bible, joins the show to share proven strategies for keeping your best people. From rethinking turnover as a natural business function to designing better company meetings and succession plans, Matt unpacks practical frameworks to r…
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#0390 – Thriving as a Leader by not Walking Alone with Bob Carrothers
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41:44Today, I’m joined by Bob Carrothers, and we're talking about Thriving as a Leader by not Walking Alone. Bob is a Master Chair at Vistage Worldwide and brings over 29 years of experience in leadership development and executive coaching. Bob facilitates peer-to-peer boards of CEOs and executives, creating environments conducive to skill enhancement, …
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134: Leading with Heart in a Metrics-Obsessed World with Adam Weber
36:42
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36:42Adam Weber has helped grow organizations, lead people-first teams, and navigate the tension between humanity and performance. In this episode of Lead The People, Adam Weber and Matt Poepsel talks about why real leadership starts with presence. They unpack the dangers of over-indexing on metrics, how burnout is often hidden in high-performers, and w…
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#0389 – Fix the Real Issues Holding Your Team Back with Sean Glaze
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41:44Today, I’m joined by Sean Glaze, and we’re talking about how to fix the real issues holding your team back. Sean is a sought-after leadership and workplace culture speaker who gained valuable insights on turning talent into teamwork as a successful basketball coach – and now he travels around the country to share those actionable lessons. Sean’s en…
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133: Creating Safer Workplaces Starts by Telling the Truth with Leigh Elena Henderson
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33:28Leigh Elena Henderson spent years in corporate HR — until the system she upheld broke her down. In this episode, Leigh shares her powerful story of leaving the corporate world behind and using her voice to expose the realities so many employees face in silence. From toxic culture to broken policies, she unpacks the tension between doing what’s “by …
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#0388 – From Setbacks to Slam Dunks: Secrets to Unstoppable Leadership with Angela Lewis
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36:02Today, I’m joined by Angela Lewis, and we’re discussing Unstoppable Leadership. Angela is a former professional basketball player, championship-winning coach, and the Head of Operations at SpeakerHUB—a global platform that helps speakers grow their visibility and influence. Drawing from over two decades of experience in sports, education, and entre…
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#132: From Invisible to Invaluable: Building Cultures of Significance with Zach Mercurio
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33:00What happens when people don’t feel seen, needed, or valued at work? In this episode, author and researcher Zach Mercurio joins Matt Poepsel for a powerful conversation on mattering — the often-missing ingredient in modern leadership. They explore why recognition isn’t enough, how to build cultures where people feel irreplaceable, and what happens …
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#0387 – Why Most Company Cultures Are Fake and How to Fix Yours with Margaret Graziano
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40:56Today, I’m joined by Margaret Graziano, and we’re discussing Why Most Company Cultures Are Fake and How to Fix Yours. Margaret hasspent her life reinventing herself. She has gone from being a single mother at 19, working at the first Cable TV company, to leading one of the fastest-growing consultancies and becoming a bestselling author. Margaret ha…
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#131: Why Being Proactive About Mental Health Changes Everything with Stephen Sokoler
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28:51In this conversation, Stephen Sokoler unpacks the evolving definition of mental health and its impact on the modern workplace. As founder and CEO of Journey, Stephen challenges the outdated, reactive approach to mental well-being and calls for a proactive, daily integration of mental health practices into both our personal and professional lives. H…
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#0386 – Escaping the Micromanagement Trap with Chris Seifert
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43:07Today, I’m joined by Chris Seifert, and we're talking about Escaping the Micromanagement Trap. Chris is the founder of Enabling Empowermentand author of Enabling Empowerment: A Leadership Playbook for EndingMicromanagement and Empowering Decision-Makers. He’s spent over 20 years leading teams—from the control room of a nuclear submarine to the plan…
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#130: Transforming Toxic Management with Marcel Schwantes
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32:43In this conversation, Marcel Schwantes discusses the profound effects of toxic management on personal health and workplace dynamics. He emphasizes the need for humane leadership characterized by empathy, kindness, humility, advocacy, and trust. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding love in leadership and how it can transform org…
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#0385 – The Hard Truth about Culture with Dr. Thomas Krause
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43:45Today, I’m joined by Dr. Thomas Krause, and we're talking about the Hard Truth about Culture. Tom is a world-renowned thought leader focused ondecision making, leadership, and behavior in the creation of a positiveorganizational culture. He has designed culture change interventions toprevent catastrophic events, fatalities, and disasters. He founde…
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#129: Why Most People Never Reach The Next Level with Jason Feifer
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25:44Why do some people rise while others stay stuck, even though they’re just as talented? In this episode, we sit down with Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur Magazine and host of the Problem Solvers podcast, to uncover why most people unconsciously sabotage their own growth — and how to stop. This conversation is packed with insights for a…
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#0384 – Why Human Skills Matter More Than Ever in the Age of AI with Dr. Nada Sanders
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38:49Today, we’re joined by Dr. Nada Sanders, and we're discussing Why Human Skills Matter More Than Ever in the Age of AI. Nada is an internationally recognized AI thought leader, expert in forecasting, and global supply chain intelligence, and Distinguished Professor at D’Amore-McKim Schoolof Business at Northeastern University in Boston. Stanford ran…
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#128: How AI + Human Decision Making Beats AI Alone when Hiring with Scott Parish
29:25
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29:25Scott Parish is the founder and CEO of HireGuide. Before that, he helped build LinkedIn Jobs & ATS. In this episode, Matt sits down with Scott to explore how AI is revolutionizing the hiring process. Scott introduces a game-changing concept: shifting focus from "quality of hire" to "quality of hiring decision" - and explains why this distinction co…
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#0383 – How to Turn Middle Managers Into Your Company’s Secret Weapon with Helen Young-McLaughlin
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39:46Today, we’re joined by Helen Young-McLaughlin, and we're discussing How to Turn Middle Managers Into Your Company’s Secret Weapon. Helen is CEO of Helen Young Coaching & Consulting and Founder of TheLeverage Academy is a 6-month management development program designed specifically for middle and emerging managers. She coaches managers and leaders o…
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#127: How Asking for Help Transforms Teams and Results with Dr. Rosie Ward
28:31
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28:31Dr. Rosie Ward is a fierce advocate for humanity who is sought-after to help rehumanize workplaces that free, fuel, and inspire people to bring their best selves to work and home each day. She serves as CEO and Founder of Salveo Partners, which was awarded the 2024 Stellar Business Award for best business consulting in the United States, and focuse…
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#0382 – Why Burnout Happens and How to Take Your Power Back with Dr. Sharon Melnick
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34:16Today, we’re joined by Dr. Sharon Melnick and we're discussing Why Burnout Happens and How to Take Your Power Back. Sharon is anExecutive Psychologist and Coach with 25 years of experience. She is a global authority on personal power and high-performance in leadership. Her methods are informed by 10 years of psychology research at Harvard Medical S…
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#126: Leadership Lessons From California Pizza Kitchen with Shannon Kirk
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23:30Currently serving as the Chief People Officer at California Pizza Kitchen, Shannon is an experienced HR executive with over 20 years in the hospitality and tech industries. Known for driving change, fostering resiliency, and spearheading innovations through a people-centric approach, she has a proven track record of enhancing organizational culture…
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#0381 – Why Strategy Fails Without Leadership with Willie Pietersen
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42:22Today, I’m joined by Willie Pietersen, and we're discussing why Strategy Fails Without Leadership. Willie has practiced and studied leadership as a CEO of multibillion-dollar businesses, as a professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business, and as a consultant to some of the world’s biggest and best-known organizations, from Ericsson…
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#125: Why Most New Managers Struggle (and how to set them up for success) with Ashley Herd
29:20
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29:20Ashley Herd is the founder of Manager Method, a business focused on empowering managers with practical tools to lead effectively. With a background as a General Counsel and Head of HR, Ashley has a unique perspective on balancing legal considerations with people management. She's passionate about making leadership development accessible and impactf…
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#0380 – The Hidden Power of Values-Based Leadership with Robert MacPhee
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43:23Today, I’m joined by Robert MacPhee, and we're discussing Values-Based Leadership. Robert is the creator of the Excellent Decisions values-based leadership program and the author of Living a Values-Based Life. Heis the former Director of Training for the Canfield Training Group and worked closely for many years with Jack Canfield, the co-creator of…
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#124: Maintain Human Connection While Leveraging Technology with Naomi Titleman
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23:26Naomi Titleman Colla is Co-Founder of future foHRward Inc. (futurefoHRward.com), whose mission is to empower Human Resources (HR), and all leaders of the future to make work better through their weekly newsletter (foHRsight), podcast (the foHRsight podcast), and private community for Sr. HR Leaders (foHRsight+). Naomi is also Founder of Collaborati…
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#0379 – The Answer Is a Question: A Radical Shift in How to Lead with Laura and Dominic Ashley-Timms
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49:12Today, I’m joined by Laura and Dominic Ashley-Timms, and we're discussing their new book, The Answer Is a Question. Lauralearned about the power of coaching from her early career in internationaltable tennis and from coaching others at Oxford University, where she was one of the first women to enter Oriel College. She is now recognized as a global …
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#123: How to Overcome Fear and Live More Courageously with Dr. Mary Poffenroth
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38:47Dr. Mary Poffenroth is a scientist, professor, and fear/courage researcher. From being adopted at birth to being a first generation college student to her first day at NASA and beyond, Mary has dedicated her life to understanding how best to do scary things. Her work has been featured in Forbes, TIME, Science, TED, Entrepreneur, Cosmopolitan, the W…
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#0378 – What Toddlers Can Teach Us About Leadership? with Dr. Hasan Merali
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34:22Today, I’m joined by Dr. Hasan Merali, and we're exploring What Toddlers Can Teach Us About Leadership. Hasan is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University and a pediatric emergency medicine physician at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School a…
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#122: How To Make Workplaces More Equitable with Lisa Gelobter
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27:27Lisa Gelobter is the CEO and Founder of tEQuitable. Using technology to make workplaces more equitable, tEQuitable provides an independent, confidential platform that makes it easy for companies to improve psychological safety and employee engagement, resolve workplace conflict (including micro-inequities), and uncover camouflaged systemic issues b…
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#0377 – The One Leadership Skill You Can’t Ignore: Mastering Trust with Charles Feltman
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45:00Today, I’m joined by Charles Feltman, and we're discussing the leadership skill of mastering trust. Charles works with people who seek to become the best leaders they can be for themselves, their teams, and their companies. He has served as an executive and leadership coach for over 25 years. His primary focus is helping leaders and teams build and…
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#121: How to Identify, Prevent, and Recover from Workplace Burnout with Rachel Boehm
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32:36Rachel Boehm is a leading authority on burnout prevention, workplace stress and sustainable high performance. She empowers decision-makers to protect themselves and their teams against the costs of burnout which can be in the tens of thousands per employee. Her services include leadership coaching, team training, and culture change initiatives, ult…
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#0376 – Talking for Change: The Secret Skill Every Leader Needs to Master with Joel Ellis
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39:03Today, Joel Ellis joined me, and we discussed the idea of Talking for Change. After a long career in business leadership roles, Joel entered a new chapter in his life, where he helps other leaders through his coaching and speaking programs. He focuses on assisting middle managers to overcome the typical communication challenges that many leaders fa…
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#120: Humanizing the Offboarding Process with Angel Cruzado
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23:18Angel Cruzado is the Founder & CEO of Respiris, a company on a mission to reinspire how we approach offboarding. Angel has spent his career in HR with startups, venture-backed companies, and publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. He understands transitions on a personal level, too, having built his own career from the ground up after being laid off…
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#0375 – Why Everything You Know About Work and Leadership Is About to Change with Steve Cadigan
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41:14Today, I’m joined by Steve Cadigan, and we're discussing why everything you know about work and leadership is about to change. Steve wasLinkedIn’s first Chief Human Resources Officer and author of the popular book, Workquake. He is a globally recognized talent strategist,board member, and thought leader in the future of work. As the founder of Cadi…
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#119: Untangling Your Brand: High-Impact Brand Advancement with Lyn Wineman
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26:55As KidGlov’s founder, president, and chief strategist, Lyn leads their diverse team of talented professionals to drive growth through strategic branding and marketing communications. She has been instrumental in promoting regional and national organizations such as Immanuel, Lincoln Community Foundation, HopeSpoke, St. Monica’s, Regency Shopping Ce…
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#0374 – Why Most Leaders Fail in a Crisis (And How to Prevent It) with Patrick Hardy
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42:12Today, I’m joined by Patrick Hardy, and we're discussing why Most Leaders Fail in a Crisis. Patrick is an expert in disaster preparedness and response. He is a graduate of FEMA’s Advanced Academy, with certifications as a Master of Exercise, Certified Emergency Manager, Certified Risk Manager, and Master Business Continuity Professional. Drawing fr…
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#118: Reimagining the Modern Workplace with Stela Lupushor
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29:27Stela Lupushor is on a mission to humanize the workplace. She works with the Conference Board’s Fortune 500 corporations-members on rethinking their workplace strategies; leads Reframe.Work Inc. and consults on how to create inclusive workplaces through the use of technology, human-centered design, people analytics, and future-thinking; and founded…
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#0373 – Why Most Leaders Fail at Building Trust (and How to Fix It) with Mike Robbins
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41:08Welcome to the Deep Leadership podcast. Today, I’m joined by Mike Robbins, and we're discussing Why Most Leaders Fail at Building Trust. Mike is the author of five books, including Bring Your Whole Self to Work and We’re All in This Together. He's a former pro baseball player whose playing career ended due to an injury. He is now a well-known motiv…
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#117: How Purpose-Driven Business Drives Growth with Marshall Lockton
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27:26Marshall is a Partner and majority owner of Knight Agency, a marketing firm that builds from inside out. They use storytelling to help companies connect people and strategy, driving performance. He acquired Knight through Meraki Investments, which he founded to invest in companies making a difference. He is also a shareholder of Lockton, the larges…
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